This invention relates to a device that can keep two reactive components separate, during storage, and then easily allow for the mixture of the components when the components are ready to be used.
This invention has particular use in storing, mixing and then dispensing a two-component compound that is particularly suited for injection into and the repair of a surface crack in a concrete structure.
There are many materials which, when mixed with selected materials, become a strong bonding agent. Examples of these compounds include urethanes, polyester-based adhesives, epoxies, caulking compounds and grout. Many of these compounds are quick setting which means there is only a limited amount of time after the component materials have been mixed to apply them before they harden and can no longer serve as bonding agent. Thus, many of these compounds must be mixed and used in small quantities at a time. Furthermore, many of these compounds require that their separate component materials be combined in precise ratios in order to achieve the desired bonding and flow characteristics.
Because these materials, like the resin and hardener that form epoxy, may be costly, there has long been a demand for containers that hold separate precisely measured quantities of materials, and provide means for mixing and extruding them cleanly and quickly. A number of such containers have been produced, varying in form according to the nature and amounts of the stored materials, the qualities of the compound, the cost of manufacture, ease of assembly, ease of use, and the method of using them.
One common type of container is a tubular cartridge which has an outlet nozzle at one end and an opposite open end that is closed by a wiper slidably seated against the inside face of what is typically a cylindrical wall of the cartridge. The material is discharged from the outlet nozzle by advancing the wiper through the cartridge toward the nozzle. Available dispensing tools utilize a plunger connected to a rod, and a device that forces the rod and plunger axially into the open end of the cartridge and against the wiper. Available dispensing tools may be manually power or pneumatically powered.
One common multiple component fluid material system uses two or more cartridges from which the separate components forming the material are simultaneously discharged in the precise ratio needed to form the intended composite material, the discharged components being blended together in an elongated mixing/dispensing nozzle before being discharged as the composite material from the outlet end of the dispensing nozzle.
Another common multiple component fluid material system uses only one cartridge, but places barriers in the cartridge that can be ruptured, allowing for the mixture of the components prior to their use.
One approach adopted by the prior art provides a container with a barrier that at the time of use can be ruptured or distorted so that it no longer serves as a barrier. The barrier is ruptured or distorted by the action of a separate mixing member or dasher also located in the container which is attached to a rod that communicates to the outside. U.S. Pat. No. 3,153,531, granted Oct. 20, 1964 to Ralph. J. Cook uses a delicate foil barrier to create two compartments in a cylindrical container. When the materials are to be mixed the foil barrier is distorted allowing communication of the materials between the barrier. U.S. Pat. No. 3,475,010, granted Oct. 28, 1969 to Ralph J. Cook and Clifford C. Moline, teaches using a foil barrier that is pierced by the mixing rod attached to the dasher or mixing member. The use of a delicate foil membrane as the barrier requires special provisions to avoid disrupting the barrier during the filling process. U.S. Pat. No. 3,195,778, granted Jul. 20, 1965 to J. Edwin Coates, teaches a more solid partition that is ruptured by severing means formed on the dasher or mixing member. Providing the dasher or mixing member with severing means sharp enough to rupture the more solid partition adds expense to its manufacture.
Another approach has been to provide the container with a multi-component assembly that can serve as a barrier or as a mixer depending upon the orientation and relative positions of its components. Some of the prior art patents in this category also share the further characteristic that the components can be joined together after mixing to serve as a piston or wiper.
An early example of this type of barrier is U.S. Pat. No. 3,140,078, granted Jul. 7, 1964 to Donald C. Krahe. It employs a pair of disks held together in close registration with corresponding openings so that the rotation of one disk exposes or occludes the corresponding openings in the other disk, thereby permitting or preventing the intermixing of the materials separated by the disks. Because the mere act of rotation of one disk with respect to the other either opens or closes the barrier between the two compartments, the user must be careful to avoid inadvertently opening or closing the barrier at the wrong time.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,164,303, granted Jan. 5, 1965 to Herbert L. Trautmann, is another such patent. Trautmann (""303) teaches forming a partition with a central bore that is releasably sealed by a dasher formed with a central boss. Similar to Krahe (""078), the user has to be careful about inadvertently reconnecting the dasher to the partition. Further, the partition is only provided with a single orifice that for the most part is blocked by the boss of the dasher when the partition is moved back to allow the combining of the materials. This slows the step of combining the materials.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,371,094, granted Feb. 1, 1983 to Charles G. Hutter III, in a manner similar to Trautmann (""303), teaches a sealing member formed with a central sleeve orifice sealed by the central core of a dasher member. Hutter III (""094) attempts to address the problem of inadvertent reattachment of the dasher and the sealing member while also providing for the reattachment of the dasher member to the sealing member following the mixing operation. Hutter III (""094) accomplishes this but only by requiring that the operating rod be inserted into the dasher at various selected distances at different points in its use, requiring precise operations by the user. Further, the sealing member of Hutter III (""094), like Trautmann (""303), is also only formed with a single orifice that is mostly blocked by the central core of the dasher when the sealing member is moved to the end of the cylinder, slowing down the combining of the materials.
A very important application for two-part filler component systems is the filling of surface cracks in concrete structures to restore structural integrity. To fill such cracks, a multiple-component crack injection material is used which typically has a low viscosity and is highly reactive. As such, many prior art devices are not suitable as means for separately storing the multiple components for extended periods of time.
Often, in such applications, special conduit routing structures are used in combination with the dispensing cartridge for more accurately directing the discharged material to the intended region of use.
One such routing structure is a tubular surface port, which has an outlet end with an enlarged base that can be bonded by adhesive to the structure""s surface with the tube bore aligned over a surface crack. The outlet nozzle of the material dispensing cartridge is then placed in communication with the inlet end of the surface port device, and the dispensing tool is actuated to force material out of the dispensing cartridge, through the surface port device and into the crack.
It is also common to use a flexible extension hose to connect the outlet end of the dispensing cartridge to the inlet end of the surface port.
Typically, when long cracks in a concrete structure are to be filled a number of tubular surface ports are used along the length of the crack. The surface ports are positioned over the crack and adhered to the concrete structure with a surface adhesive. Between the ports the crack is covered with a sealing compound such that when the filler material is discharged into the crack through the surface ports, it will not escape from the crack, but be forced into the crack.
Once the adhesive securing the surface ports has properly set and the sealing compound has cured, the two-component filler material is mixed together. Then the dispensing cartridge is connected to a first, selected surface port and filler material is discharged into the crack through the surface port, until the back pressure prevents further operation of the dispenser. The port is then sealed, either automatically or by some operation by the user, the dispenser is disconnected from the surface port and reconnected to the next surface port along the crack, and more filler material is injected into the crack.
The present invention provides a rotary stop cock that in a first selected position can separate a plurality of compartments, in a second selected position can allow for the flow of material from one or more upstream compartments into a downstream compartment, while also allowing air to vent from the downstream compartment through the stop cock and out to the atmosphere, and in another selected position can allow for the flow of material from what was the downstream compartment to what was the one or more upstream components without venting any of the compartments.
The present invention also provides a method of separately storing a plurality of component materials that are to be combined in upstream and downstream compartments, combining them in a downstream compartment while allowing atmosphere to vent from the downstream compartment to the outside atmosphere, and then moving the combined material from the downstream compartment to the upstream compartment without allowing the combined material to escape to the outside atmosphere until desired.
The stop cock of the present invention serves as an effective barrier during storage of the materials. It also allows the materials to be safely combined and mixed when they are ready to be used.
It is economical to produce, and it is simple to use.